Safety-cage fob coal-shaets



"D.`GL0VBR. y SAFETY GAGE FOR GOAL' SHAFTS.

Patented June 7, 1859 NoY 24,296.

UNITED STATES! PATENTY OFFICE.

DAVID GLOVER, OF CASS iTOViiNSHIl?,v SCI-IUYLKILL COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA'.

SAFETY-CAGE FIORA COAL-SI-IAIETS.

Specification of Letters PatentfNo. 24,296, dated J une 7, 1859'.

stroyed or the power cease to operate; andI I do hereby declare that the following is al full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,l

making a part of this specification, in which- Figure No. 1, is a perspective view, Fig. No. 2, a side view of the cage, showing the position it assumes when the rope or chainv used in hoisting has been broken, Fig; No. 3,

is a plan of the bottom of .the cage, and shows side view of hinge, Fig No. 4, is a plan of top of the cage.

In shafts sunk for the purpose of raising coal, or other minerals where the cars used in the drift, or adit are elevated to the surface, the car to be hoisted is for this purpose run upon a cage, or carriage at the bottom of the shaft, and secured thereon by either a hook, or bolt, or by any other means found most convenient, and this cage,(which is kept in position while ascending, or descending the shaft by guides A, A Fig. 1, running from the top to the bottom of the shaft, the rest of the cage running perfectly free of the shaft sides) is then elevated with the car so fastened on it to such height as is desired, where it is caught on rests made for the purpose, and the car removed till it is ready to be returned to the bottom. The cage heretofore in common use is generally made of wood or iron of the form, and construction seen in the whole of Fig. No. 1, in which the top rail and bottom sill are of one continuous piece, and make the whole cage one stiff frame; the guides A, A playing between the side pieces or strips B B Fig. 1, which are securely bolted to the rails and sills of the cage. When in the passage, (up, or down,) of this cage the rope, or chain used in hoisting breaks, or by any means the connection between the hoisting power and the cage is destroyed, there is nothing to prevent its dropping down the shaft, and it necessarily falls to the bottom with great violence totally destroying both cage and car.

The cage, or carriage for which a patent is desired, instead of being one stiff frame of the form representedbyv the whole of Fig. No. 1, is made in two distinct sections, or separate parts. These sections, or separate parts are each of the same shape, and are precisely of such form as is made by cuttin the common cage of the form represente by the whole of Fig. 1, by a plane immediately through the center of the guides A A Fig. 1. These two separate sections, or

parts are fastened together only at the top of the bottom sill by two hinges 0, C as seen in the plan of thebottom of the cage in .e

Fig. 3. These hinges are of the form C Fig. 3, or any shape that will permitthe separate parts of the cage to open at the top rail and hold-the top of the bottom sills rmly together. The ends of these sills immediately under the hingesare cutoff at such an angle as to leave them about four inches apart at the bottom. At the top the ends of these sections are left entirely separate. The ends of the top rails are left square so as to lit evenly together.

To prevent any lateral play, and to hold the top rails in line when the cage is in use, four pieces of iron, or wood of the shapes F, F, Fig. No. 4 are bolted on the top of the top rails in the manner seen at f, f Fig. 4, and when the cage is in use, and the top of the separate sections drawn together they it closely in each other, thus preventing lateral motion, and keeping the cage stiff, and firm.

The chain, or rope used in hoisting is connected with the cage by four small chains which are fastened at the points M M, Fig. 1, to the cage by iron bolts as seen in the drawing, or by any other means found most convenient, and meet together in the ring E Fig. 1, to which the chain or rope is fastened.

The bottoms of the sills at L Fig. 1, are shod with strong pieces of iron L, h, of the shape H Fig. 1, (which is a plan of them) which pieces of iron are notched into the sills, and strongly Ybolted to them. They extend out over and cover the bottoms, or lower ends of the side pieces, or strips B, B, coming as closely to the guides as'possible without creating friction. The lower angle of the ends of these ironpieces, is, next to the guides, made slightly acute towardthe guides so' as to; present f'slomewhat of a cutting edge, whichifpressed `against the guides with any force will at once penetratebrnip themi* i' f When this cage, (now being described) and made o the two separate 'sectionsasfbe-y fore set forth, rests on the bottom of the shaft ready for use,the ends-"where the sec--- tion is made at the guides A A fit closely togeth'er thei cage` presents, except1 1 the portion cut oli of the ends of the bottomj sills precisely theiappearance 'of Athe'common cage. LA nd `when Iuthefrope, Vorfchainv used, `in `hoisting is stretched, and the cage isv 'passing up, or ldown, the :shaft i it maintains Athe appearance, 1landvlform of 4the ACommon Acage,"andoperates no-way different fromit. When however the rope,l o"rch`ai11f` used in hoisting breaks, lor `thecage` is by any means suddenly i disconnected; from the hoisting power, lor the `power ceases @tovoperatefthe separatesections of the cage, by the force of their own gravity `will Aseparate-attthe top, andfbeing iheldftogeth'er at; the top 'of the bottomV sigll by lthe hinges; MC C?" these-separate sections act as a lever to force thev iron shoes on ythevbottom `oflthese sills,` and thepieces 1 B1 "lYB intotheguidesl of which they `take `such a :hold f as to prevent r the cage `fromffalling, andit is held. firmly in the shaftA as seenlinvFig.v No". '2 till the; Hx rope, or chaincanbemended and thepower l" Signedy inf the ,presence of this.,6mivrayiew.-l r; -f

applied when isa'impgdiateiyyreaay foruse A Y If found necessary to giveV greater quicknesswoir action `to the openingioi-` theucage at the topV on the breaking of the rope, or

Nos. 1 and 2, can be so arranged as to assist the; alctionl of gravity-inopening the separate sections at the top.

Having thus :described the4 construction A aand?? operation offmy safety cagelforiuse in shaftsfMwhat i I iclairnf asnmy invention; and desire to secure by,` Letters Patent i ftoi operate, the cage lshalb` open @at the` top, iwheref the. sections are joined,^and ltheheight .and gwe'ight of each section, )shall 'operate as a. `lever 1 andA weight .to force `the iron shoef `on the endswof the sills, .and .pieces i ya `B77 B` 3 of the cage, and car down the shaft.

two `iwitnesses Giornale" l l' :fnl i' L 1 :DAVID Witnessesz.V v

.ROBTNAJMAINGALw La Q XHWELLGFISHE'R; l i

.powerfully against, and into the guides,and Lby this meansenti-rely preventthe dropping 

